Seeking GodSample

Jacob wrestled in prayer, yet Isaiah 64:7 says, 'There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You.' May this statement never be true of us! I desperately desire to 'take hold of God' in prayer. The Matthew Henry Commentary gives us some more insight about Jacob's night of prayer. It states, 'We are told by the prophet Hosea (Hosea 12:4) how Jacob wrestled: he wept, and made supplication; prayers and tears were his weapons. It was not only a physical, but a spiritual wrestling, by the vigorous acting of faith and holy desire; and thus all the spiritual seed of Jacob (all believers) that pray, in praying, still wrestle with God.' Jacob's name was changed to Israel that night in battle. Israel means 'he who strives with God,' or 'he who perseveres.'

Also, the name Israel suggests royalty and power. This is not surprising since believers are a royal priesthood and called to persevere in faith with the same power that raised Christ from the dead! Look at this verse in 1 Peter 2:9: 'But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.' Let's realize today and forever that we can and should strive to 'take hold' of God in prayer.